


Gone

by thewightknight



Category: Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Inappropriate Use of the Force, M/M, Not A Happy Ending, Panic Attacks, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, but not in a sexy way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 08:09:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13185933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewightknight/pseuds/thewightknight
Summary: The evening after the Resistance escapes their grasp, Hux counts the physical cost.





	Gone

**Author's Note:**

> See endnotes for explanation of the tags. I got stuck on the fluffy piece I've been working on for the last couple of days and went diving into the angst pool instead.

He took stock of himself in the mirror that evening. Nose swollen and tender. Split lip. A livid bruise on his right hip and a circle of them around his neck. A goose egg on the back of his head. More bruises on his back from shoulder blade down. Six crescent shaped cuts on his palms, three to a hand. Only six because the nails on his littlest fingers hadn’t broken through the gloves, but the one on his right had torn off below the quick.

Reaching for the tube of bacta ointment in his medicine cabinet tore a gasp of pain from his lip. As he uncapped it a voice startled him.

“Let me help you with that.”

He dropped the tube, whirling, to see Kylo framed in the doorway of his ‘fresher. The tube floated up from where it had landed into Kylo’s hand, and Kylo began stripping the glove off with his other hand with his teeth as he approached.

“I’m sorry, Hux. So sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was just so ….” He trailed off, not seeming to notice how Hux had backed into the sink as he approached. He gripped the sides to keep his hands from trembling, biting back another cry as the edge pressed into his abused skin, but couldn’t keep from flinching when Kylo reached up to dab the ointment on the cut on his lip.

“Hux? Are you okay?”

He tried to say something but his throat had sealed itself shut, the thudding of his heart in his chest overwhelming Kylo’s next words. Another face swam into his vision, heavy jowls and florid hair, scowl of disapproval.

_Weak-willed. Useless. I’ll make something of you if it kills you, boy._

Kylo let his hand fall and took a step back.

“You’re afraid. Of me. Hux ... I … I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

“Leave,” he forced out, hating how small, how broken he sounded.

Kylo started to say something else but caught himself. He nodded, backing away, bending down and placing the tube of ointment back on the floor.

“All right, I’m leaving. I’ll … I’m so sorry.”

He faded from view, backing away until he disappeared into the darkness of Hux’s quarters. Hux waited until he heard the door to his quarters hiss open and shut again before he gave in and collapsed, drawing his legs up to his chest as he leaned against the wall, fighting against the sobs that threatened to escape.

“He’s gone. He’s gone. He can’t hurt me. He isn’t here anymore.”

Which _he_ he referred to, he wasn’t sure. He just kept repeating the words to himself until they stopped making sense, and at last the panic uncoiled from his gut and slithered away. Exhausted, he crawled across the floor to retrieve the tube and hands still shaking, he sat in the middle of the ‘fresher floor, tending his wounds. When he finished he curled in on himself again, rocking back and forth, still muttering to himself.

_He’s gone._

**Author's Note:**

> Reference to physical abuse Hux suffered at the hands of his father. There's extensive description of injuries he received from being tossed around like a ragdoll by Snoke and Kylo, and he has a panic attack at the sight of Ren.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading! If you want to say hi, [check out my profile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewightknight/profile) for where I’m currently hanging out on this here internet thing.


End file.
